Jan 28, 2013

Hidden Charm? Reveal It!

We often get a house with hidden charm. The problem with hidden charm is that tends to be hidden to the people who need to see it the most-the buyer. If the only people able to recognize the better points of the house are the seller and the realtor, the house will probably be on the market a lot longer. An experienced home stager will be able to recognize the benefits of the house and enhance them to make the more visible to the buyer.As a recent example, here is a recent job we did on a small house on a stair street in Echo Park:

Before:

Clearly this house lacks a visually striking entry that entices visitors into exploring further. The front door just fades away, the steps don't reach the main walkway as you descend and they also are completely open at the front giving the whole entry an unfinished appearance.

After:

With a fresh coat of tangerine paint on the front door, additional steps added and new fascias across the front of the steps, people are welcomed to an attractive-looking house.

Before:

The paprika walls are overwhelming and the bare living room says nothing more than "small" leaving prospective home buyers no idea how effective this space can truly be.

After:

Now, furnished and with a bright, fresh coat of paint on the walls, the living room is airy and inviting. Prospective buyers can walk in and see the possibilities of the space.

Before:

The master bedroom, before staging, is just a small, square box with very little to recommend it, visually, to the buyer.

After:

With a bed covered in beautiful linens, vintage furniture and artwork on the walls, this nondescript box is transformed into a relaxing space where prospective buyers can imagine themselves living.The lesson here is to not let the prospective buyer try to figure out what benefits the home has to offer on their own. Home staging is an effective way to help reveal the hidden assets a home has to offer.

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For selling or living, design is essential...

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For Homeowners, an in-person, on-site consultation starts at just $175 for a small home or condo, whether it's for staging or a re-design for you. It's much more than just the visit... it includes planning for furniture arrangement, paint colors, fabric choices, possible upgrades, as well as exterior presentation. It also includes free e-mail and phone follow-up for a year.

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